What's the best way to find a good repair shop to take your car to? Ask and ask someone to recommend you. Check with the Better Business Bureau. Auto repair shops rank 16th on the list of companies receiving complaints from the Better Business Bureau. Visit the agency's website to see which repair shops you're considering. You can connect to the Internet and see the ratings of independent repair shops, but they are often manipulated.
I prefer the traditional word-of-mouth method. Ask your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers if they know a good place. They're likely to give you good ideas about places, and if someone has had a bad experience, they're likely to listen to you and also figure out where not to go. Some people use car dealers for all their car repairs and maintenance, and there are certainly some advantages to doing so.
The easiest way to find the auto repair shops closest to you is by doing a quick online search for auto repair shops in your zip code. Ibbotson says this approach allows him to establish a good relationship with the shop and provides his technicians with the opportunity to learn about your car, its service schedule and any problems that may arise. Start by consulting the CR auto repair assistant to find out approximately how much a specific repair should cost in your area. Get referrals from friends, family and colleagues, suggests Amy Mattinat, owner of Auto Craftsmen, an independent auto repair service center in Montpelier, Vermont.
ASE evaluates specialized fields such as air conditioning, engine repair, tuning, brakes and diesel engines, and the list is endless. Other questions you can ask a potential repair shop are if they offer estimates and if those estimates include parts, labor, taxes, etc. When you've narrowed your options down to a few workshops, try them out for smaller repairs or maintenance work, such as oil changes or filters. Benjamin Preston covered new and used car purchases, auto insurance, auto maintenance and repair, and electric bikes for Consumer Reports.
This allows you to get a good idea of customer service, timeliness, affordability, and more, before you have to take your car in for a major repair. To test a workshop and its customer service, take your car to a simple repair, such as mandatory maintenance or an oil change, suggests Dello Russo. Co-workers, neighbors, and family members with first-hand experience are a great way to learn about a workshop for local repair. Prices for maintenance and repairs can vary widely, and while some workshops publish a price list, many provide instant estimates, Dello Russo says.
Ask if they allow you to inspect any old parts that need to be replaced and, of course, ask how long they take to repair. He has been with CR since 2002, covering various automotive topics, such as buying and leasing, maintenance and repair, ownership, reliability, used cars and electric vehicles. He manages CR's line of special-interest publications, hosts CR's “Talking Cars” podcast, and writes and edits content for CR's print and online products.
